SALT LAKE CITY — A judge has rejected the Utah Democratic Party's request to intervene in a high-profile lawsuit over redistricting and gerrymandering.
In an order issued last week, 3rd District Court Judge Dianna Gibson refused to allow the Utah Democratic Party to get involved in the lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women by Ethical Government against the Utah State Legislature over congressional boundaries.
"The Proposed Intervenors make clear that their interest is in having a voice to address the remedy (i.e., restoring Proposition 4, adopting a new map, ensuring the electoral prospects of Democratic candidates), if the court rules in favor of Plaintiffs," the judge wrote. "The Proposed Intervenors assume Plaintiffs will be succeed on Count V and that the Proposed Intervenors, and the Utah Democratic Party in particular, will be necessary to redraw district lines. This, however, is speculative at this stage."
The Utah Democratic Party had no comment on the judge's ruling.
The litigation has had a long and winding road through the courts. The League and MWEG sued the legislature over its decision to override Proposition 4, a citizen ballot initiative that created an independent redistricting commission. The plaintiffs allege the legislature disregarded the maps the commission created in favor of their own. In a July ruling, the Utah Supreme Court ruled that the legislature did overstep its powers on Prop. 4.
That had a cascading effect when Amendment D (run in response to the Court's ruling that would have unwound the decision) was struck down by the courts again and voided on the November ballot.
The litigation continues.
Read the Court's ruling here:
